Can line divider



p 11, 1962 E. E. JEREMIAH 3,053,369

CAN LINE DIVIDER Filed Oct. 14, I959 INVENTOR; Earl E Jeremiah United States Patent Ofiice 3,053,369 Patented Sept. 11, 1962 3,053,369 CAN LINE DIVIDER Earl E. Jeremiah, Pleasanton, Calif assignor to National Can Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 846,355 3 Claims. (Cl. 19339) This invention relates to a new and improved can line divider. More particularly, this invention relates to a device which divides a line of cans traveling vertically downwardly in a line into two separate lines so as to feed two separate can handling machines. An example of a use of this invention is in a can manufacturing plant wherein a line of cans is moved from the can manufacturing equipment into a warehouse, and wherein the line of cans is divided into two lines so as to feed two sepa rate streams of cans into a palletizing machine or the like. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the can manufacturing art, there are numerous other uses for the divider.

One of the features of the present machine is its freedom from mechanically moving gates or other swinging elements, which in conventional dividers divert the cans from one line to the other and which limit the speed of the line. In the present device, after the line has started up and is moving at substantially uniform rate, the cans themselves cause the switching from one branch to the other, and the moving cans do not engage the rotating parts of the machine in order to perform the switching operation.

Accordingly, one of the principal features and advantages of the invention is the fact that the cans are diverted into two branch lines without contact with mechanical parts, and this enables the divider to operate at a much higher rate of speed than is other-wise prac tical.

Another feature of the invention is the fact that by reason of the absence of mechanical movement of the cans by swinging gates and the like, jamming is avoided and physical damage to the cans is reduced.

Still another feature of the invention is the fact that e the present device tends to equalize the movement of cans in the branch lines in that if one line tends to remain full and the other to be exhausted, a majority of the cans are diverted into the exhausted line.

A still further feature of the invention is the simplicity of its construction and the absence of adjustable parts which are likely to get out of adjustment.

A still further feature of the invention is the fact that the moving parts of the divider rotate rather than oscillate, and hence more rapid operation and freedom from mechanical breakdown are accomplished.

Another feature of the invention, as will be apparent to one skilled in this art, is its readly adaptability to different size cans.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the device.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

In the accompanying drawings, reference numeral 11 indicates a vertical can conveyor in which a line of cans is traveling downwardly. Such a conveyor consists essentially of four angle bars spaced apart the proper distance for the diameter and height of the can body.

As shown in FIG. 1, the axes of the cans are horizontal and extend toward the viewer. Reference numerals 12 and 13 indicate, respectively, two branches into which the line of cans are divided by means of the can line divider 14. Branches 12 and 13 are similar in construction to the main line 11 and lead to can handling machines (not shown), such as palletizers and the like. In the preferred form of the invention shown in FIG. 1, each angle bar 16 in line 11 is bent outwardly at radius 17 into an outwardly slightly downwardly extending stretch 18 to an outer corner 19, and thence vertically downwardly in a stretch 21 which becomes one of the guides of the branch conveyor line. Below the stretch 18 is a lower guide stretch 22, having its inner terminus 23 approximately below vertical guide 16, and from that point extended outwardly to an outer radius 214, and thence to a vertical stretch 26 parallel to stretch 21. Lower stretch 22 is not quite parallel to stretch 18 but converges slightly in a downward direction. The gap between the inner termini 23 is approximately equal to the Width of the conveyor line 11. Fixed to the outsides of the respective guides at the juncture thereof are front and rear plates 31 which provide a frame for the divider as well as preventing the escape of cans therefrom. Fixed to the rear plate 31 is a motor 32 having a horizontal shaft 33 which extends through the front plate 31 and carries a gear 34. Gear 34 meshes with a second gear 36 on counter-shaft 37 parallel to shaft 33 and likewise journalled in plates 31. The shafts 33 and 37 are parallel and are equi-distan-t from the centerline of vertical conveyor 11.

Shaft 33 carries a pair of rubber rollers 41 and shaft 37 carries a roller 42. The diameters of rollers 41 and 42 are such that they overlap, as best shown in FIG. 3.

As specified above, angles 22 are rods 46 which are held in place by means of horizontal cross-pins 47 which are connected to angles 22.

In operation, rollers 41 rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and are located immediately below angles 22 and have their upper level about level with rods 46. Roller 42 rotates in the opposite direction. The lowermost of the line of cans moving down conveyor 11 touches one of the rollers 41 or 42 and is diverted to the left or the right as the case may be, depending upon whether one of the branches is filled and the other unfilled, or if both branches are filled or empty depending on chance. By reason of the rotation of the rollers, the can tends to spin upwardly and thence outwardly with the result that the next can in the line is diverted in the opposite direction. The cans roll down the diverging stretches between the angles 18 and 22 at a somewhat slower speed than their vertical descent, and hence the preceding can tends to divert the succeeding can into the opposite branch because the preceding can partially blocks the entrance to its branch. Assuming that both branches are exhausted at substantially the same rate, the alternate diversion of the cans continues. However, if one branch tends to be exhausted at a greater rate than the other, the divider tends to divert more cans to that particular branch because its entrance opens up more frequently.

Accordingly, actual contact of the cans with the rollers 41 or 42 to switch the cans from one branch to the other takes place only at the commencement of operation. Once operation is proceeding the switch of the cans is accomplished substantially automatically by the cans themselves, and thus a very high rate of operation is made possible.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a can line dividing machine, a first branch, a second and third branch below said first branch, said second branch being located on one side of said first branch, said third branch being located on the side of said first branch opposite said second branch, first and second substantially transverse connecting stretches each having a width substantially equal to that of a can being handled extending from said first to said second and third branches, respectively, first and second rollers having continuous cylindrical outer surfaces below said first branch and having their upper levels substantially at the level of said first and second connecting stretches, and means for rotating said rollers in opposite directions.

2. A machine according to claim 1, in which said connecting stretches slant downwardly-outwardly in opposite directions, said connecting stretches being spaced slightly farther apart below said first branch than adjacent said second and third branches.

3. A machine according to claim 1, in which said means for rotating said rollers turns to rotate the upper surface of said first roller in the direction of said first connecting stretch and the upper surface of said second roller in the direction of said second connecting stretch, and in which the diameters of said rollers are greater than the distance between their axes of revolution, said rollers being of lesser height than the height of cans being handled.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,472,563 Bourland June 7, 1949 2,950,806 Hebert Aug. 30, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 603,939 Germany Oct. 12, 1934 

